Holiday Ayo - Chinese tourists are again victims in Thailand. They were kidnapped while staying at a hotel. Due to the incident, ten people, including two Thai police officers, were arrested for their involvement in the kidnapping of five Chinese tourists.

The tourists were kidnapped, and then the perpetrators extorted 2.5 million baht or around IDR 1 billion from them. 

Among the kidnappers arrested were an active police sergeant who worked at the police emergency communications center, and a former chief investigator in Bangkok who was fired from the police in 2023. 

According to a Bangkok Post report, another suspect remains at large while Thai authorities expand their investigation into the kidnapping. 

In The Nation's report, initial investigations revealed that a group of men claiming to be police officers broke into the hotel room where the tourists were staying on April 25, 2024. 

The kidnapping gang accused the Chinese tourists of breaking the law and ordered them to go to the police station for further investigation. 

Camera footage shows the gang kidnapping the tourists through four cars parked in front of the hotel. As reported by VN Express International, according to police, the kidnapping gang asked the tourists to transfer 2.5 million baht to a designated bank account.

Fearing imprisonment abroad, the tourists agreed to transfer money the money and were later released. On April 29, 2024, the tourists filed a complaint with the police. 

According to Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the country has received nearly 10 million foreign tourists so far this year. Of this number, China is the largest source of foreign tourists visiting Thailand.